Opera: L' Italiana in Algeri

Now, as I say, I've been having trouble accessing London For Less! on the Meetup site. So the handiest way, for now, of finding out what they're doing is for the organiser to send around emails - which he did, last week, and I saw that yesterday they were headed to an opera I hadn't seen before. And there were tickets left! Cool.. so I planned my week up to that point (unusual for me to plan that far ahead) and booked it.

At least the start time was late enough that I didn't have to rush - while early enough that I was back at a reasonable hour. The venue was a new one for me - the interestingly named Asylum Chapel, in Peckham. Google Maps suggested I take the Overground, and handily enough, although much of it was closed yesterday for engineering works, this bit wasn't, so that's what I did.

The journey was enlivened by a Greek passenger sitting opposite me, discussing the Greek referendum with his companions. I got off at Queen's Road Peckham, and found Asylum Road, just to the right of the station - thanks Streetview, as usual! The chapel itself is located in Caroline Gardens, a 15-minute walk away on the left. I was early, the day was sunny and warm, and the walk was easy. One of us looked up the history during the interval, and discovered that this asylum wasn't a madhouse, but instead used the meaning of "asylum" as a place of sanctuary, being a retirement home for publicans:

Sadly, my phone battery died right after this, so I don't have any more photos from yesterday. But it was very atmospheric inside, and there are more photos on the event website.

I moseyed on in, but there was no-one on the door, and when I entered the performance space, it was obvious that they were still rehearsing. So I came back out and took a seat on the vacant bench. After a while, others from the group arrived, and when we saw people coming out with drinks, we decided to head on in and see whether the bar was open. There was a lady at the door now, who checked off our names, and in we went.

The church is dilapidated, and they haven't bothered to renovate the interior. Lost of peeling plaster, missing windows, rickety doors. Actually very atmospheric, as I say, and photogenic as it happens. They'd set up rows of wooden chairs for us, and the pop-up bar was at the back. Drinks were served in plastic containers, and I got myself a glass of wine. And we were all entertained by the open-plan changing room, where the performers were preparing beside the bar! ;-)

We took seats near the front, and admired the interior. Several plaques remain on the wall, and the stained-glass windows to the sides are still intact. I was so jealous of the people around me taking photos.. the area where the altar would have been was studded with large white candles, and I believe the place is used for weddings as well as a performance space. We figured out that the door to the right was where the toilets were.

Now, this is the pop-up opera, and normal rules don't quite apply. The dapper guy in the panama hat, selling programmes beforehand (and doing deals on them!) is apparently married to the owner of the company, and entertained the audience merrily. He took time out before the show to explain the concept of opera to some little 'uns in the front row.. how, you know, they sing everything they're thinking. The company don't bother much with sets or scenery - two clothes rails, a trunk containing clothes, a table and some folding chairs is about as far as it got.

The opera yesterday was L' Italiana in Algeri, and sung in Italian. A screen to the side had translations projected on it, but true to form for pop-up opera, they weren't exactly.. verbatim. As the performance progressed, I was reminded more and more of when I saw them before; it was ages ago though, and I hadn't remembered many of the details. Yep, this is opera as you haven't seen it before - rough and ready, witty, accessible.

In no way, however, do they skimp on quality. The singing is top-notch, and with a lot of the action taking place as they dart up and down the centre aisle, you can end up with an aria sung right in your ear! (People with aisle seats, take note.) Now that's quite an experience, and I recommend it if you get the chance. The original story is updated to the present day, and the location shifted to the "Algiers Casino" in Las Vegas. The hapless Lindoro is now in thrall to Mustafa because of a gambling debt, and Isabella comes to audition for Mustafa as a dancing girl, with Taddeo as her agent!

It's riotous, it's hilarious, and the projected "translations" made us roar with laughter. As we roared and cheered at the end. Really, really highly recommended if you ever get a chance to see this company - they're quite a treat!

At the interval, they were already sold out of wine.. instead, I visited the toilets, which were rather snug. When I flushed, one of the little vases with a flower in it came crashing to the floor.. a rather delicate operation, then.

We hung around outside for a while afterwards, but there wasn't much of a yen to go to a pub, and we made our separate ways home. I was starving by this point, so just popped in home to grab a coat (evenings are cool) and made my way to my local Chinese. Where I had my new usual dish there, sizzling beef in a sweet and tangy sauce. And as I told the lady at the next table who enquired what I was having: from past experience, I know it's delicious! As it was.. although they must have cooked the rice in a hurry, because some grains were chewy.

Too late to blog last night. Tonight, I'm heading to the pictures - and top of the list is the documentary Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief. Which is showing at a new cinema - the Picturehouse Central, apparently either in, or adjacent to, the Trocadero. Well, that'll be interesting. Oh, and for the rest of the year, they have a special offer of £8 tickets for documentaries.